County solidifies commitment to safety along Freedom Parkway

Posted on 12/19/2018

Two years of teamwork between Weld County Government, residents, and municipalities has led to the adoption of the Freedom Parkway Access Control Plan and the signing of an Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA) by the Board of Commissioners. The ACP is a framework for making future safety and mobility improvements and accommodating development along a 25-mile road that stretches west from Larimer County Road 7 east to Weld County Road 49.

“This isn’t a Weld County plan. This is a coalition plan for everyone along the corridor,” said Weld County Commissioner Julie Cozad, who helped lead the initiative to create an ACP. “It was an honor to work with all the communities to develop a plan that addresses the safety and efficiency of this corridor.”

The ACP centers on consolidating, reconfiguring, or relocating some of the existing 304 access points along the corridor such as driveways to residences or businesses. This improves safety by limiting vehicles entering or exiting the road to fewer, more predictable locations, which reduces traffic congestion and lowers the risk of accidents. The ultimate vision for the corridor is a regional, multimodal transportation link between Loveland and Kersey as a four-lane, divided, limited access road.

Freedom Parkway includes portions of State Highway 402, LCR 18, WCR 54 and 37th street. Because each section of roadway is governed by a different municipality, creating an ACP that incorporates a collaborative vision and approach to safety between government and residents was a unique accomplishment. To generate feedback during the process, the Freedom Parkway Coalition was created in 2016. The coalition consists of elected officials and county staff who’ve met monthly to create the ACP. Several public meetings were held in the summer of 2017 and 2018 in communities along the corridor; while a Freedom Parkway newsletter was distributed via email. Information continues to be available on a Freedom Parkway Access Control Plan webpage.

As each section of Freedom Parkway is under a different jurisdiction, local governments may begin improvements as development occurs. Improvements will follow agreed upon policies that promote safety, mobility, and consistency of character along the corridor.

Other municipalities supporting the ACP include: Larimer County; the City of Loveland; City of Greeley; City of Evans; Town of Johnstown; Town of Milliken; Town of Kersey; and the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT).